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Sialino LD, Wijnhoven HAH, van Oostrom SH, Picavet HSJ, Visser M, Schaap LA. The sex difference in self-rated health among older Turkish and Moroccan migrants in the Netherlands: an exploratory study of contributing determinants. BMC Public Health 2024; 24:248. [PMID: 38254057 PMCID: PMC10801924 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-17479-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although being a woman and having a migration background are strong predictors of poor self-rated health among (older) adults, research on the sex difference in self-rated health among (older) migrants remains limited. This study therefore aims to investigate this topic and explore the contributing role of determinants of self-rated health. METHODS Cross-sectional data from 360 Turkish-Dutch and Moroccan-Dutch adults aged 55-65 as part of the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam (LASA) were used. Self-rated health (good versus poor) was measured by a single item question. Univariate age-adjusted logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the sex difference in self-rated health and the contribution of sex differences in sensitivity (strength of the association) and/or exposure (prevalence) to socio-demographic, social, lifestyle or health-related determinants of self-rated health. RESULTS Women had a 0.53 times lower odds (95%CI:0.40-0.82, p = 0.004) on good self-rated health compared to men. Women more often having a lower education level, living alone and having a higher prevalence of depressive symptoms, chronic diseases and especially functional limitations contributed to the lower self-rated health among women. In contrast, men were more sensitive to the impact of memory complaints, depressive symptoms, visual difficulties and functional limitations. CONCLUSIONS Older Turkish-Dutch and Moroccan-Dutch women have a significant lower self-rated health compared to men. Women having a higher exposure to both socio-demographic and health-related determinants of self-rated health, which contributed to the sex difference. Future research should take these differences in self-rated health and determinants between women and men into account when investigating health among older migrants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lena D Sialino
- Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Science, Amsterdam Public Health research institute, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - H A H Wijnhoven
- Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Science, Amsterdam Public Health research institute, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - S H van Oostrom
- Centre for Nutrition, Prevention and Health Services, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, the Netherlands
| | - H S J Picavet
- Centre for Nutrition, Prevention and Health Services, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, the Netherlands
| | - M Visser
- Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Science, Amsterdam Public Health research institute, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - L A Schaap
- Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Science, Amsterdam Public Health research institute, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
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Nkulu-Kalengayi FK, Jonzon R, Deogan C, Hurtig AK. Evidence and gaps in the literature on HIV/STI prevention interventions targeting migrants in receiving countries: a scoping review. Glob Health Action 2021; 14:1962039. [PMID: 34404337 PMCID: PMC8381899 DOI: 10.1080/16549716.2021.1962039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 10/31/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Evidence suggests that migration increases vulnerability to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and other sexually transmitted infections (STI). However, there is limited knowledge about what has been done or needs to be done to address migrants' vulnerability in receiving countries. OBJECTIVES A scoping review was carried out to map the existing literature in this field, describe its characteristics, identify gaps in knowledge and determine whether a Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR)-perspective was applied. METHODS We used the Arksey and O'Malley framework and the Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines for scoping reviews and subsequent enhancements proposed by other authors. We searched three databases and grey literature to identify relevant publications. RESULTS A total of 1,147 records were found across the three electronic databases and compiled. Of these, only 29 papers that met the inclusion criteria were included. The review shows that research in this field is dominated by studies from the USA that mostly include behavioural interventions for HIV and HBV prevention among migrants from Latin America and Asian countries, respectively. None of the interventions integrated an SRHR perspective. The intervention effects varied across studies and measured outcomes. The observed effects on knowledge, attitudes, perceptions, behavioural intentions and skills were largely positive, but reported effects on testing and sexual risk behaviours were inconsistent. CONCLUSIONS There is a need for good quality research, particularly in parts of the world other than the USA that will address all STIs and specifically target the most vulnerable subgroups of migrants. Further research requires greater scope and depth, including the need to apply an SRHR perspective and incorporate biomedical and structural interventions to address the interacting causes of migrants' vulnerability to HIV/STIs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Robert Jonzon
- Department of Epidemiology and Global Health, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Department of Sexual Health and HIV Prevention, The Public Health Agency of Sweden, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Charlotte Deogan
- Department of Sexual Health and HIV Prevention, The Public Health Agency of Sweden, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Anna-Karin Hurtig
- Department of Epidemiology and Global Health, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
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Zghal A, El-Masri M, McMurphy S, Pfaff K. Exploring the Impact of Health Care Provider Cultural Competence on New Immigrant Health-Related Quality of Life: A Cross-Sectional Study of Canadian Newcomers. J Transcult Nurs 2020; 32:508-517. [PMID: 33095098 PMCID: PMC8404719 DOI: 10.1177/1043659620967441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: New immigrants underutilize health care because of multiple barriers. Although culturally competent health care improves access, it is typically assessed by providers, not newcomers whose perceptions matter most. Methodology: Surveys that included measures of cultural competence and health-related quality of life (QOL) were completed by 117 new immigrants in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. A series of stepwise linear regression analyses were conducted to identify independent predictors of QOL and its four domains: physical health, psychological, social relationships, and environment. Results: Our adjusted results suggest that experiences of discrimination was negatively associated with overall QOL (β = −.313; p < .001) and its psychological (β = −.318; p < .001), social (β = −.177; p = .048), and environmental (β = −.408; p < .001) domains. Discussion: Discrimination negatively influences new immigrant QOL. Provider cultural competency training should emphasize the influence of provider discrimination on immigrant health and explore learners’ values and biases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Afef Zghal
- University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
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Mota P, Saez M, Selby K, Bodenmann P. Longitudinal panel data study of self-rated health among migrants in French-speaking Switzerland, 2003-2017. BMJ Open 2020; 10:e035812. [PMID: 32792430 PMCID: PMC7430401 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-035812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Studies have documented poorer health among migrants than natives of several European countries, but little is known for Switzerland. We assessed the association between country of birth, socioeconomic factors and self-reported health (SRH) in a prospective cohort of adults living in Lausanne, Switzerland. METHODS We used the data from the Colaus panel data study for three periods: 2003-2006 (n=6733), 2009-2012 (n=5064) and 2014-2017 (n=4555) corresponding to 35% of the source population. The response variable was SRH. Main explanatory variables were socioeconomic status, educational level, professional status, income, gender, age and years in Switzerland. The main covariate was country of birth, dichotomised as born in Switzerland or not. We specified random effects logistic regressions and used Bayesian methods for the inference. RESULTS Being born outside of Switzerland was not associated with worse SRH (OR 1.09, 95% CI 0.52 to 2.31). Several other patient variables were, however, predictive of poor health. Educational level was inversely associated with the risk of reporting poor health. Monthly household income showed a gradient where higher income was associated with lower odds of reporting poor SRH, for both for migrants and non-migrants. Migrant women had lower odds of reporting poor SRH than men (OR 0.73, 95% CI 0.55 to 0.98). Migrant people living in couple have less risk of reporting poor SRH than people who live alone and the risk is lower for migrant people living in couple with children (OR 0.66, 95% CI 0.55 to 0.80). DISCUSSION Migrant status was not associated with poorer SRH. However, differences in SRH were observed based on gender, age and several social determinants of health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pau Mota
- Department of Vulnerabilities and Social Medicine, Unisante, Lausanne, VD, Switzerland
| | - Marc Saez
- Research Group on Statistics, Econometrics and Health (GRECS), Universitat de Girona, Girona, Spain
| | - Kevin Selby
- Department the Policlinics, Unisante, Lausanne, VD, Switzerland
| | - Patrick Bodenmann
- Department of Vulnerabilities and Social Medicine, Unisante, Lausanne, VD, Switzerland
- Department the Policlinics, Unisante, Lausanne, VD, Switzerland
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Lubbers M, Gijsberts M. Changes in Self-Rated Health Right After Immigration: A Panel Study of Economic, Social, Cultural, and Emotional Explanations of Self-Rated Health Among Immigrants in the Netherlands. FRONTIERS IN SOCIOLOGY 2019; 4:45. [PMID: 33869368 PMCID: PMC8022797 DOI: 10.3389/fsoc.2019.00045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2019] [Accepted: 04/29/2019] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Immigrants are often found to rate their health better than the native population does. It is, however, suggested that this healthy immigrant effect declines with an enduring length of stay. With Dutch panel data, we investigate which patterns in self-rated health can be found among immigrants shortly after their migration. We test to what extent economic, social, cultural and emotional explanations affect the changes that immigrants report in self-rated health. Based on a four-wave panel, our results support the immigrants' health decline hypothesis, since the self-rated health decreases in the first years after immigration to the Netherlands. The major change occurs between immigrants rating their health no longer as "very good," but as "good." Shortly after immigration, self-rated health is associated with being employed and a higher income. Hazardous work and physically heavy work decrease self-rated health. Notwithstanding these effects, social, cultural, and emotional explanations turn out to be stronger. A lack of Dutch friends, perceptions of discrimination, perceived cultural distance, and feelings of homesickness strongly affect self-rated health. Furthermore, in understanding changes in self-rated health, the effects of making contact with Dutch people and changes in the perception of discrimination are definitive. However, contact with Dutch people did not decrease and discrimination did not increase over time, making them ineligible as an explanation for overall health decrease. Only the small effect that first-borns have may count as a reason for decreased self-rated health, since many of the recent immigrants we followed started families in the first years after immigration. Our findings leave room for the coined "acculturation to an unhealthier lifestyle thesis," and we see promise in a stronger focus on the role of unmet expectations in the first years after immigration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcel Lubbers
- Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demographic Institute (NIDI/KNAW), The Hague, Netherlands
- Department of Sociology, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, Netherlands
- University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Mérove Gijsberts
- Netherlands Institute for Social Research, The Hague, Netherlands
- ASW: Cultural Diversity and Youth, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
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George MA, Bassani C. Influence of Perceived Racial Discrimination on the Health of Immigrant Children in Canada. JOURNAL OF INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION AND INTEGRATION 2018; 19:527-540. [PMID: 30996694 PMCID: PMC6434967 DOI: 10.1007/s12134-018-0539-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Racial discrimination and racism are recognized as determinants of health for adults. Less is understood regarding the influence of discrimination targeted towards parents, the family, or the cultural and children's health. Data from the New Canadian Children and Youth Study (NCCYS) are used in this paper. The NCCYS is a national, longitudinal study of children whose families settled in urban centers of Canada. We analyzed data from individuals who settled in the metropolitan Vancouver area from six ethnic communities: Mainland China, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Iran, Afghanistan, and the Punjab who were interviewed at two times, approximately 2 years apart. Data were collected on perceived parental, family, and cultural discrimination. Our dependent variable was parent-reported child health status. Over time, perceived parental discrimination and perceived family discrimination decreased; and both forms of discrimination had a positive effect on child health. In contrast, perceived cultural discrimination increased over time and had a negative effect on child health at both times. Different forms of discrimination have different effects on child health. Racial discrimination is complex. Its influence on either increasing family cohesion, and thereby leading to improved health, or increasing stress, thereby leading to poorer health needs to be explored further.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Anne George
- Department of Pediatrics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia Canada
- BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia Canada
- School of Population & Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia Canada
| | - Cherylynn Bassani
- Sociology, Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Surrey, British Columbia Canada
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Subedi RP, Rosenberg MW. “I am from nowhere”: identity and self-perceived health status of skilled immigrants employed in low-skilled service sector jobs. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MIGRATION, HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE 2017. [DOI: 10.1108/ijmhsc-09-2015-0035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Purpose
The foreign-born skilled immigrant population is growing rapidly in Canada but finding a job that utilizes immigrants’ skills, knowledge and experience is challenging for them. The purpose of this paper is to understand the self-perceived health and social status of skilled immigrants who were working in low-skilled jobs in the service sector in Ottawa, Canada.
Design/methodology/approach
In this qualitative study, semi-structured interviews with 19 high-skilled immigrants working as taxi drivers and convenience store workers in the city of Ottawa, Canada were analysed using a grounded theory approach.
Findings
Five major themes emerged from the data: high expectations but low achievements; credential devaluation, deskilling and wasted skills; discrimination and loss of identity; lifestyle change and poor health behaviour; and poor mental and physical health status.
Social implications
The study demonstrates the knowledge between what skilled immigrants expect when they arrive in Canada and the reality of finding meaningful employment in a country where international credentials are less likely to be recognized. The study therefore contributes to immigration policy reform which would reduce barriers to meaningful employment among immigrants reducing the impacts on health resulting from employment in low-skilled jobs.
Originality/value
This study provides unique insights into the experience and perceptions of skilled immigrants working in low-skilled jobs. It also sheds light on the “healthy worker effect” hypothesis which is a highly discussed and debated issue in the occupational health literature.
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Li J, Collins D. Smoking environments in transition: the experiences of recent Chinese migrants to Canada. HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE IN THE COMMUNITY 2017; 25:65-74. [PMID: 26087896 DOI: 10.1111/hsc.12252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/05/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
International migrants experience first-hand differences between countries in terms of the social meanings, spatial regulation and prevalence of smoking. This research centred on the smoking-related perceptions, experiences and behaviours of recent migrants from China to Canada. Eight focus groups were held in Edmonton, Alberta, in July-October 2013 to explore migrants' understandings of the practices and meanings of smoking in both countries. There were 58 participants (37 non-smokers and 21 smokers), most of whom were international students. Qualitative content analysis of focus group transcripts was undertaken to identify key themes. Participants observed that smoking remains almost ubiquitous in China due to ineffective spatial restrictions and the social importance of smoking among men. By contrast, smoking bans in Canada were perceived as effective due to widespread compliance and expectations of enforcement. They were conscious that male smoking was both less prevalent and less socially valued in Canada; conversely, female smoking was perceived as more accepted in Canada than in China. There was broad agreement that smoking was tolerated in Canada, provided it occurred in appropriate places. Complying with widespread spatial restrictions brought about changes in smokers' behaviours: they smoked less often, and consumed fewer cigarettes. Because smoking was more difficult to perform, participants thought the Canadian context supported quitting. Non-smokers were enthusiastic about smoke-free environments in Canada, and had become acculturated to air that did not smell of smoke. These findings affirm the importance of comprehensive smoking bans, backed by enforcement, in contributing to the denormalisation of smoking and the protection of non-smokers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Li
- Human Geography Program (EAS), University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Damian Collins
- Human Geography Program (EAS), University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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George MA, Bassani C. The health of immigrant children who live in areas with high immigrant concentration. ETHNICITY & HEALTH 2016; 21:426-438. [PMID: 26242800 DOI: 10.1080/13557858.2015.1066762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Our objective is to contribute to the literature regarding the association between immigrant children's health, their ethnicity and their living in neighbourhoods with a high ethnic concentration of one's own ethnicity. Using data from families from five ethnic groups who all immigrated to Vancouver metropolitan region in Canada, our research question asks: How ethnicity, ethnic concentration and living in a neighbourhood with others of the same ethnic background contribute to the health of immigrant children? DESIGN Two data sets are integrated in our study. The first is the New Canadian Children and Youth Study, which collected original data from five ethnic groups who immigrated to metropolitan Vancouver. The second data set, from which we derived neighbourhood data, is the Canadian census. The dependent variable is health status as reported by the parent. Independent variables are at both the individual and neighbourhood levels, including ethnicity, sex and the percentage of people living in the neighbourhood of the same ethnic background. Analysis was completed using hierarchical linear modelling. RESULTS Children (n = 759) from 24 neighbourhoods were included in the analyses. Health status varied by ethnicity and ethnic concentration, indicating the heterogeneity of immigrant populations. CONCLUSION With the lack of research on the health of immigrant children and youth living in ethnic concentrations, our findings make an important contribution to understanding the influences on the well-being of immigrant populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- M A George
- a Department of Pediatrics , University of British Columbia , Vancouver , British Columbia , Canada
- b Child & Family Research Institute , Vancouver , British Columbia , Canada
- c School of Population & Public Health , University of British Columbia , Vancouver , British Columbia , Canada
| | - C Bassani
- d Sociology , Kwantlen Polytechnic University , Surrey , British Columbia , Canada
- e Faculty of Health Sciences , Simon Fraser University , Burnaby , British Columbia , Canada
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Giesbrecht M, Crooks VA, Castleden H, Schuurman N, Skinner M, Williams A. Palliating inside the lines: The effects of borders and boundaries on palliative care in rural Canada. Soc Sci Med 2016; 168:273-282. [PMID: 27185391 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2016.04.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2015] [Revised: 03/04/2016] [Accepted: 04/28/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
We draw lines to divide our world into specific places, territories, and categories. Although borders and boundaries are dynamic and socially constructed, their existence creates many broad impacts on our lives by geographically distinguishing between groups (e.g., us/them; here/there; inside/outside) at various scales from the national down to the personal spaces of the individual. Particularly, borders and boundaries can be used to define a variety of differing spaces such as the familial, social, economic, political, as well as issues of access - including access to health services. Despite the implicit connection between borders, boundaries, and health, little research has investigated this connection from a health geography perspective. As such, this secondary thematic analysis contributes to addressing this notable gap by examining how borders and boundaries are experienced and perceived to impact access to palliative care in rural Canada from the perspectives of the formal and informal providers of such care. Drawing upon data from qualitative interviews (n = 40) with formal and informal palliative caregivers residing in four different rural Canadian communities, five forms of borders and boundaries were found to directly impact care delivery/receipt: political; jurisdictional; geographical; professional; and cultural. Implicitly and explicitly, participants discussed these borders and boundaries while sharing their experiences of providing palliative care in rural Canada. We conclude by discussing the implications of our findings for palliative care in rural Canada, while also emphasizing the need for more health geography, and related social science, researchers to recognize the significance of borders and boundaries in relation to health and healthcare delivery. Lastly, we emphasize the transferability of these findings to other health sectors, geographical settings, and disciplines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Giesbrecht
- Department of Geography, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, British Columbia, V5A 1S6, Canada; School of Geography & Earth Sciences, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario, L8S 4M1, Canada.
| | - Valorie A Crooks
- Department of Geography, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, British Columbia, V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Heather Castleden
- Department of Geography and Planning, Queen's University, 99 University Avenue, Kingston, Ontario, K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - Nadine Schuurman
- Department of Geography, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, British Columbia, V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Mark Skinner
- Department of Geography, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, Ontario, K9J 7B8, Canada
| | - Allison Williams
- School of Geography & Earth Sciences, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario, L8S 4M1, Canada
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Abstract
This study examines the differences in the social determinants of health and chronic health conditions of immigrants and nonimmigrants. The logistic regression results indicate that employment, education, poverty, residential status, and neighborhood safety have strong influence on the health of immigrants and native-born Americans; however, gender and place of residence are significant to only nonimmigrant health. For chronic health conditions, age and employment status are significant predictors for immigrants whereas race/ethnicity, age, gender, insurance coverage, and education are important predictors of chronic health conditions among nonimmigrants. Neighborhood safety, English proficiency, and marital status were not significant determinants of the health conditions of both subgroups. The study points to the importance of education, poverty/income, and neighborhood safety as essential determinants of immigrant and nonimmigrant health. However, there are variations in the health predictors for each group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kofi Danso
- a Minnesota State University , Mankato , Minnesota , USA
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12
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Does helping them benefit me? Examining the emotional cost and benefit of immigrants' pecuniary remittance behaviour in Canada. Soc Sci Med 2016; 153:182-92. [PMID: 26913806 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2016.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2015] [Revised: 01/16/2016] [Accepted: 02/03/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The existing literature has largely focused on how immigrants' pre/post-migration experiences affect their health in destination societies. Hence, little is known about the extent to which immigrants' choice to maintain transnational ties to their family and friends abroad influences their health. This study makes a theoretical and empirical contribution to the sociology of health literature by examining how immigrants' pecuniary remittance behaviour affects their emotional health using data from the Longitudinal Survey of Immigrants to Canada (LSIC, 2001-2005). Our weighted logistic regression analyses demonstrate that sending remittances within the first six months of arrival predisposes immigrants to emotional health problems. However, remitting after six months of arrival provides an "emotional advantage" for immigrants, but this advantage is greater for female immigrants compared to their male counterparts. The study clearly shows that immigrants' remittance behaviour has far reaching gendered implications on their emotional health, which underscores the importance of including transnational theory and gender in the conceptual toolbox for explaining immigrants' health transitions. Admittedly, insights from this study can help professional healthcare staff, and immigrant settlement and integration agency workers better understand and address the mental health needs of immigrants in order to enhance their contribution to the Canadian economy.
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Newbold K, Simone D. Comparing disability amongst immigrants and native-born in Canada. Soc Sci Med 2015; 145:53-62. [DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2015.09.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2015] [Revised: 09/02/2015] [Accepted: 09/25/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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Chang HC, Wallace SP. Migration processes and self-rated health among marriage migrants in South Korea. ETHNICITY & HEALTH 2015; 21:20-38. [PMID: 25559309 PMCID: PMC4490134 DOI: 10.1080/13557858.2014.992299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Research on migrant health mostly examines labor migrants, with some attention paid to the trauma faced by refugees. Marriage migrants represent an understudied vulnerable population in the migration and health literature. OBJECTIVES Drawing on a Social Determinants of Health (SDH) approach, we use a large Korean national survey and stratified multivariate regressions to examine the link between migration processes and the self-rated health of Korea's three largest ethnic groups of marriage migrants: Korean-Chinese, Vietnamese, and Han Chinese. RESULTS We find that post-migration socioeconomic status and several social integration factors are associated with the health of marriage migrants of all three groups. Specifically, having more social relationships with Koreans is associated with good health among marriage migrants, while having more social relationships with co-ethnics is associated with worse health. Marriage migrants' perceived social status of their natal and marital families is a better predictor of their health than more objective measures such as their education attainment and that of their Korean husbands. The post-migration social gradients among all ethnic groups demonstrate a dose-response effect of marital family's social standing on marriage migrants' health, independent of their own education and the social standing of their natal families. Lastly, we find some ethnicity-specific predictors such as the association between higher educational level and worse health status among the Vietnamese. This variability by group suggests a more complex set of SDH occurred during the marriage migration processes than a basic SDH framework would predict. CONCLUSION Using a new immigrant destination, South Korea, as an example, we conclude that migration and health policies that reduce ethnicity-specific barriers and offer integration programs in early post-migration stages may offer a pathway to good health among marriage migrants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsin-Chieh Chang
- Institute of Sociology, Academia Sinica, Taiwan & Department of Community Health Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles. Los Agneles, U.S.A
| | - Steven P. Wallace
- Department of Community Health Sciences & Center for Health Policy Research University of California, Los Angeles. Los Agneles, U.S.A
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Wang L, Kwak MJ. Immigration, barriers to healthcare and transnational ties: A case study of South Korean immigrants in Toronto, Canada. Soc Sci Med 2014; 133:340-8. [PMID: 25481040 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2014.11.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The paper analyzes the healthcare-seeking behavior of South Korean immigrants in Toronto, Canada, and how transnationalism shapes post-migration health and health-management strategies. Built upon largely separate research areas in ethnicity and health, health geography, and transnationalism, the paper conceptualizes immigrant health as influenced by individual characteristics, the migration and resettlement experience, and place effects at both a local and a transnational scale. A mixed-method approach is used to capture insights into health status and experiences in accessing local and transnational healthcare among South Korean immigrants - a fast growing visible minority group in Canada. Statistical analysis of data from the Canadian Community Health Survey discloses patterns and trends in health and healthcare use among the Korean Canadian, overall foreign-born, and native-born populations. Focus groups reveal in-depth information on the decline of Korean immigrants' health status and the array of sociocultural, economic and geographic barriers in accessing healthcare in Canada, which gave rise to their transnational use of health resources in the home country. The transnational strategies included traveling to South Korea for medical examinations or treatment, importing medications from South Korea to Canada, and consulting health resources in South Korea by phone or email. The results provide timely knowledge on how a recent immigrant group adapts to Canada in the domain of health and adds a transnational perspective to the literature on ethnicity and health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Wang
- Ryerson University, Department of Geography, 305 Victoria Street, Toronto, Ontario M5B 2K3, Canada.
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Assimilation effects on infant mortality among immigrants in Norway: Does maternal source country matter? DEMOGRAPHIC RESEARCH 2014. [DOI: 10.4054/demres.2014.31.26] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
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Nativity, duration of residence and chronic health conditions in Australia: do trends converge towards the native-born population? Soc Sci Med 2014; 119:53-63. [PMID: 25150651 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2014.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2014] [Revised: 08/07/2014] [Accepted: 08/08/2014] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Using data from waves 3, 7 and 9 of the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey, a group-mean-centred multilevel mixed model and self-reported chronic conditions, this study contributes to the limited longitudinal evidence on the nativity health gap in Australia. We investigated whether differences exist in the reporting of any chronic condition (including cancer, cardiovascular disease (CVD), arthritis, diabetes and respiratory disease), and in the total number of chronic conditions, between foreign-born (FB) from English speaking (ES) and non-English speaking (NES) countries and native-born (NB) Australians. We also investigated differences between these groups in the reporting of any chronic condition, and the total number of chronic conditions, by duration of residence. After adjusting for time varying and time invariant covariates, we found a significant difference by nativity status in the reporting of chronic condition, with immigrants from both ES and NES countries less likely to report a chronic condition and having fewer chronic conditions compared with the NB. Immigrants from both ES and NES countries living in Australia for less than 20 years were significantly less likely to report a chronic condition compared with the NB. However, the health of both these groups converged to that of the NB population in terms of reporting a chronic condition after 20 years of stay in Australia.
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Subedi RP, Rosenberg MW. Determinants of the variations in self-reported health status among recent and more established immigrants in Canada. Soc Sci Med 2014; 115:103-10. [PMID: 24953500 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2014.06.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2013] [Revised: 01/31/2014] [Accepted: 06/12/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Studies have shown that immigrants are normally in better health on arrival compared to their Canadian-born counterparts. However, the health conditions of new immigrants deteriorate after a few years of their arrival in Canada. This phenomenon is popularly termed the "healthy immigrant effect" (HIE) in the immigrant health literature. Although different hypotheses have been proposed to understand HIE, the causes are subject to ongoing discussion. Unlike previous studies, this study explored the possible causes behind the variations in the health status of recent and more established immigrants comparing 2001 and 2010 Canadian Community Health Surveys (CCHS). Four different hypotheses - namely lifestyle change, barriers to health care services, poor social determinants of health, and work related stress - were tested to understand variations in health status. The study concludes that there is a statistically significant difference in the socioeconomic characteristics and health outcomes of immigrants having less than and more than 10 years of residency in Canada. Logistic regression models show that the health conditions of immigrants are associated with age, sex, ethnic origin, smoking habit, Body Mass Index (BMI), total household income, number of consultations made with a family doctor per year and work related stress.
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Omariba DWR, Ng E, Vissandjée B. Differences between immigrants at various durations of residence and host population in all-cause mortality, Canada 1991–2006. Population Studies 2014; 68:339-57. [DOI: 10.1080/00324728.2014.915050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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Medina-Solís CE, Pontigo-Loyola AP, Pérez-Campos E, Hernández-Cruz P, Avila-Burgos L, Mendoza-Rodríguez M, Maupomé G. Edentulism and other variables associated with self-reported health status in Mexican adults. Med Sci Monit 2014; 20:843-52. [PMID: 24852266 PMCID: PMC4043565 DOI: 10.12659/msm.890100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2013] [Accepted: 12/27/2013] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND To determine if edentulism, controlling for other known factors, is associated with subjective self-report health status (SRH) in Mexican adults. MATERIAL AND METHODS We examined the SRH of 13 966 individuals 35 years and older, using data from the National Survey of Performance Assessment, a cross-sectional study that is part of the technical collaboration between the Ministry of Health of Mexico and the World Health Organization, which used the survey instrument and sampling strategies developed by WHO for the World Health Survey. Sociodemographic, socioeconomic, medical, and behavioral variables were collected using questionnaires. Self-reported health was our dependent variable. Data on edentulism were available from 20 of the 32 Mexican states. A polynomial logistic regression model adjusted for complex sampling was generated. RESULTS In the SRH, 58.2% reported their health status as very good/good, 33.8% said they had a moderate health status, and 8.0% reported that their health was bad/very bad. The association between edentulism and SRH was modified by age and was significant only for bad/very bad SRH. Higher odds of reporting moderate health or poor/very poor health were found in women, people with lower socio-economic status and with physical disabilities, those who were not physically active, or those who were underweight or obese, those who had any chronic disease, and those who used alcohol. CONCLUSIONS The association of edentulism with a self-report of a poor health status (poor/very poor) was higher in young people than in adults. The results suggest socioeconomic inequalities in SRH. Inequality was further confirmed among people who had a general health condition or a disability. Dentists and health care professionals need to recognize the effect of edentulism on quality of life among elders people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlo Eduardo Medina-Solís
- Academic Area of Dentistry of Health Sciences Institute, Autonomous University of Hidalgo State, Pachuca, Hidalgo, Mexico
- Research Centre in Medical and Biological Sciences, School of Medicine and Surgery, Autonomous University “Benito Juarez” of Oaxaca, Oaxaca, Mexico
| | | | - Eduardo Pérez-Campos
- Research Centre in Medical and Biological Sciences, School of Medicine and Surgery, Autonomous University “Benito Juarez” of Oaxaca, Oaxaca, Mexico
- Biochemistry Unit ITO-UNAM, Oaxaca, Mexico
| | - Pedro Hernández-Cruz
- Research Centre in Medical and Biological Sciences, School of Medicine and Surgery, Autonomous University “Benito Juarez” of Oaxaca, Oaxaca, Mexico
- Biochemistry Unit ITO-UNAM, Oaxaca, Mexico
| | - Leticia Avila-Burgos
- Health Systems Research Centre, National Institute of Public Health, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico
| | - Martha Mendoza-Rodríguez
- Academic Area of Dentistry of Health Sciences Institute, Autonomous University of Hidalgo State, Pachuca, Hidalgo, Mexico
| | - Gerardo Maupomé
- Indiana University/Purdue University at Indianapolis, School of Dentistry, Indianapolis, IN, U.S.A
- The Regenstrief Institute, Inc. Indianapolis, Indiana, IN, U.S.A
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Domnich A, Amicizia D, Panatto D, Signori A, Perelli V, Adamoli S, Riboli EB, Gasparini R. Use of different subjective health indicators to assess health inequalities in an urban immigrant population in north-western Italy: a cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health 2013; 13:1006. [PMID: 24156544 PMCID: PMC4016025 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2458-13-1006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2013] [Accepted: 10/21/2013] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Despite the steady growth of the immigrant population in Italy, data on the health status of immigrants are scarce. Our main goals were to measure Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL), Self-Rated Health (SRH) and morbidity among immigrants in Genoa. We aimed to assess the relative contribution of some social, structural and behavioral determinants to “within-group” health disparities. Methods We enrolled 502 subjects by means of snowball sampling. The SF-12 questionnaire, integrated with socio-demographic and health-related items, was used. Multivariate logistic and Poisson regression models were applied in order to identify characteristics associated with poor SRH, lower SF-12 scores and prevalence of self-reported morbidities. Results Subjects showed relatively moderate levels of HRQoL (median physical and mental scores of 51.6 and 47.3, respectively) and about 15% of them rated their health as fair or poor. Lower scores in the physical dimension of HRQoL were associated with the presence of morbidities and immigration for work and religious reasons, while those who had migrated for religious and family reasons displayed a lower probability of lower scores in the mental dimension of HRQoL. Poor SRH was associated with female gender, overweight/obesity and presence of morbidities. Moreover, compared with immigrants from countries with a low human development index, immigrants from highly developed societies showed significantly lower odds of reporting poor SRH. About one-third of respondents reported at least one medical condition, while the prevalence of multi-morbidity was 10%. Females, over 45-year-olds, overweight and long-term immigrants had a higher prevalence of medical conditions. Conclusions Our study confirms the presence of health inequalities within a heterogeneous immigrant population. HRQoL, SRH and morbidity are valid, relatively rapid and cheap tools for measuring health inequalities, though they do so in different ways. These indicators should be used with caution and, if possible, simultaneously, as they could help to identify and to monitor more vulnerable subjects among immigrants.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Roberto Gasparini
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Genoa, via Pastore, 1-16132, Genoa, Italy.
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Kim IH, Carrasco C, Muntaner C, McKenzie K, Noh S. Ethnicity and postmigration health trajectory in new immigrants to Canada. Am J Public Health 2013; 103:e96-104. [PMID: 23409893 DOI: 10.2105/ajph.2012.301185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES In this prospective cohort study, we examined the trajectory of general health during the first 4 years after new immigrants' arrival in Canada. We focused on the change in self-rated health trajectories and their gender and ethnic disparities. METHODS Data were derived from the Longitudinal Survey of Immigrants to Canada and were collected between April 2001 and November 2005 by Statistics Canada. We used weighted samples of 3309 men and 3351 women aged between 20 and 59 years. RESULTS At arrival, only 3.5% of new immigrants rated their general health as poor. Significant and steady increases in poor health were revealed during the following 4 years, especially among ethnic minorities and women. Specifically, we found a higher risk of poor health among West Asian and Chinese men and among South Asian and Chinese women than among their European counterparts. CONCLUSIONS Newly arrived immigrants are extremely healthy, but the health advantage dissipates rapidly during the initial years of settlement in Canada. Women and minority ethnic groups may be more vulnerable to social changes and postmigration settlement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Il-Ho Kim
- Social and Epidemiological Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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